Jonathan Merritt at Religion News Service is reporting that prominent evangelical ethicist David Gushee is set to enter the gay rights fray by publicly announcing a change of mind on the full inclusion of LGBT people in the church. The announcement coincides with the release of his new book Changing Our Minds: A Call from Americaâ??s Leading Evangelical Ethics Scholar for Full Acceptance of LGBT Christians in the Church. Gusheeâ??s work is the latest example of a new literary genreâ??a sort of â??conversion narrativeâ?â??that marries an account of intellectual epiphany with a political manifesto designed to cause the church to rethink centuries of settled doctrine.
Despite his self-appointed status as â??Americaâ??s leading evangelical ethics scholarâ? itâ??s unclear whether Gusheeâ??s change of heart will impact the evangelical world much at all. Jonathan Merrittâ??s rather sensational lede suggests that the evangelical world will be rocked: â??At a moment when American churches and politicians are warring over gay rights and same-sex marriage, each side needs every soldier it can muster. Conservatives are about to learn that one of Americaâ??s leading evangelical ethicists is defecting to the opposition.â?[1] Yet, itâ??s far from clear whether the evangelical world will even pay heed despite HuffPoâ??s salivation at the prospect.
Read Full Article »